What tools are necessary

[martinlt1000]

Hi folks, I'm new here and I've just built my very first workshop (pics here: My workshop ). At the minute I have a mitre saw and a router, some sanders, a pillar drill and not much else. My space is fairly limited (10' x 12') and I'm keen to start making some things like chopping boards. I have an old table saw (cost about 40 quid, fence moves all over the place, blade isn't height adjustable) that I'm thinking should be my first candidate to replace but I'm after some advice before shelling out money.

So if I said I wanted to make chopping boards, what would you folks recommend I get. I was thinking a table saw plus a thickness planer, but as I said, I'm pretty green when it comes to this.

Thanks (oh and big wave to all).

Martin.

 

[bp122]

Firstly, welcome to the forum!

Secondly, very cool workshop and the build pics at all stages.

If chopping boards are your main focus then a planner thicknesser would be very useful. Pair that with a good bandsaw and you are good to go for many more projects and is fairly future proof. Also, dust extraction is a must.

Don't forget the clamps, they need to be good and strong!

If you still need a table saw after all this (money and space permitting) then you can look for one. Don't buy that first!

Good luck.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hi Martin - excellent photos and a nice tidy job.

I agree with the planer/thicknesser idea and would also suggest a band saw (more versatile and much more space efficient), rather than a table saw (which seems to be central to every North American Youtuber's life). Plus, as already suggested, you'd also need some means of dust/chip extraction.

You could also think about more hand tools e.g. a hand plane or two (granted, that's a slippery slope!).

Cheers, W2S

 

[martinlt1000]

Thanks for the replies both. Any idea how much I should budget for the planer/thicknesser + band saw? In terms of dust extraction, I've a workshop vac under the bench that I'm using and connecting to whatever power tool I'm using, so hopefully that's covered.

 

[bp122]

With Planer Thicknesser, I haven't an idea as to how much a good one goes for in the used market. But A good bandsaw you can expect to shell out anywhere between £500-£800 depending on model, condition etc.

With planer thicknesser, bandsaw, table saw, you need a chip extractor (look for HVLP - High volume Low Pressure extractors). Your shopvac will not be able to cope. Budget another £300 for one with the right level of filtration and power.

Buy second hand planes off fleabay and sharpen it properly (I hear popcorns popping!) and you'll love it.

So overall you are looking at around £1500 for three machines (bandsaw, extractor and planer thicknesser)
Keep in mind, even if you get an excellent table saw, you still need an extractor and an accurate way to finish each wooden piece to take the glue (either a benchtop thicknesser or good handplane with skills)

Plus, bandsaws are quieter, can cut curves, can resaw wood, and also have lower loss of wood because of narrower kerf of the blade.

 

[thetyreman]

I'd recommend an ambient dust extractor as well as the vac, to collect the very fine dust in the air, that's the dust that is most dangerous, I got one last year and it makes a big difference, the air is much cleaner, you don't realise how much dust is in the air until you get one.

 

[bp122]

I'd recommend an ambient dust extractor as well as the vac, to collect the very fine dust in the air, that's the dust that is most dangerous, I got one last year and it makes a big difference, the air is much cleaner, you don't realise how much dust is in the air until you get one.

Do you mean an air filter/purifier, Ben? the rectangular box kind you hang in the shop?

 

[thetyreman]

Do you mean an air filter/purifier, Ben? the rectangular box kind you hang in the shop?

yes that's the one.

 

[bp122]

yes that's the one.

Always wondered how effective they were. Good to know.

 

[martinlt1000]

The thing that led me to thinking I needed a table saw was the number of youtube videos I've watched of people making chopping boards - I don't think I've seen a single one that uses a band saw. But that said, if it'll do the job plus take up less room and let me cut curves etc, then it sounds like a better option!

 

[bp122]

I thought the same. Then I realized that all the videos I watched before I bought my table saw were American! They cannot live without one. Plus nearly every single one of them has a dado stack!

Most UK Channels I have seen don't use a table saw. Especially Paul Sellers and Matt Estlea, both use bandsaw, planer thicknesser apart from their hand tools.

 

[martinlt1000]

I thought the same. Then I realized that all the videos I watched before I bought my table saw were American! They cannot live without one. Plus nearly every single one of them has a dado stack!

Most UK Channels I have seen don't use a table saw. Especially Paul Sellers and Matt Estlea, both use bandsaw, planer thicknesser apart from their hand tools.

Funny you should mention the dado stack as before posting this thread I was searching for which table saws can take a dado stack lol!

 

[jcassidy]

yes that's the one.

Care to make a recommendation? This is something I need to address soon. Thanks

 

[thetyreman]

Care to make a recommendation? This is something I need to address soon. Thanks

I bought this one: Axminster Craft AC15AFS Air Filter although they are out of stock atm, it's worth waiting for one, this one goes down to 1 micron and the others I was looking at didn't so it was a no brainer, so far so good, it works well and is quiet as well.

 

[Jameshow]

I'd suggest a small cast iron table saw from axi, charnwood jet etc.

A cheap one us just that cheap...does its job but you will want to upgrade sooner rather than later.

Make sure it has an induction motor and a rigid fence.

Planes 3,4,5,6 etc rebate and block plane.


Cheers James

 

[Wayside2020]

I would suggest you look at a track saw over a table saw. I replaced my Kitty table saw with a Festool. No regrets at all.

 

[shed9]

So if I said I wanted to make chopping boards, what would you folks recommend I get. I was thinking a table saw plus a thickness planer, but as I said, I'm pretty green when it comes to this.

If you wanted to make chopping boards, unless you are churning out lots of them then a table saw and a planer thicknesser is complete overkill and could potentially suck the enjoyment out of the process in the short term. If you want to batch out a few chopping boards then a decent set of bench planes, a good bench vice, a hand saw and some clamps would be a more rewarding process in my opinion. You will likely need a few other tools depending on the design of the boards but you get the idea. You can dimension with planes and achieve a stunning finish with them.
In terms of what hand planes? You could ask 10 people and get 26 different answers, do a little research; I can recommend Christopher Schwarz's Handplane Essentials book. Will give a good idea of each tool and it's well written. As noted up there, it is a slippery slope, I started with three planes and now genuinely couldn't tell you how many are lurking in my workshop.
I'm not suggesting you don't need or want powered machinery but in the context of the original query on chopping boards this is possibly not the best route. That's a decent sized small workshop (nice build by the way) but I suspect a cast iron table saw will over dominate that space. By all means grab a table saw at some stage but a decent bench top / site saw may be more applicable in that setting. If you get one with a stand you can make use of the outside space for larger pieces. I agree with the comments up there re: bandsaws, probably more useful to you, smaller footprint and likely less dust. If you get one, buy the best you can. Don't be tempted by a cheap small bench top unit, they have their place and are useful in themselves but at the end of the day they are just a mini version of the tool you actually want. Don't skimp on dust extraction or make do, buy the relevant extractor to the relevant tool and consider a cyclone unit as these will reduce bag changing and be easier to manage, especially if you are at the start of this process.

Good luck, lots of useful advice from others hope it all helps.

 

[Robbo60]

Funny you should mention the dado stack as before posting this thread I was searching for which table saws can take a dado stack lol!

As far as I am aware EU (I know we are out) don't allow machines with an arbor to take a dado stack? or am I wrong?

 

[Robbo60]

Good job on the shop! But is the window at the back looking into your neighbours garden? Also the pitch of the roof is back to the boundary wall which is going to make that area very wet in the winter? Why not put a gutter and water butt?
Like your bench arrangement

 

[shed9]

As far as I am aware EU (I know we are out) don't allow machines with an arbor to take a dado stack? or am I wrong?

They are legal in the EU and the UK.